The first step towards achieving a beautifully landscaped garden is to think about what kind of style you’d like to embrace. Planning is essential so you can avoid making potentially expensive mistakes and so you can be assured that you’ll like the end result for years to come.
One very popular – and rather magical – way to transform your outdoor spaces is to create a woodland garden, a style that works well no matter how much room you have to play with and one that really engenders a sense of peace, calm and tranquillity… just what you want for your garden at home.
Planting with the seasons in mind is absolutely key with this type of garden, allowing you to enjoy it all year round and marvel as the space changes month by month. To ensure success, make sure you use trees and shrubs to excellent effect, adding structure to the space and making it look alive in winter when your perennials lie dormant.
With this kind of garden, you do need to keep on top of the pruning, otherwise you’ll find yourself having to navigate your way through a tangle of leaves and branches. Crown lift your trees by removing the lower branches, allowing you to move freely around and about while letting the sunlight filter through to the ground below.
And, of course, you need a space where you can sit back and relax, enjoying your lovely woodland garden in spring and summer. Make room for a patio somewhere inviting so you can get away from it all quickly and easily, basking in nature and enjoying all your hard work.
Finally, consider planting in tiers and layers to really deliver a sense of wonder. Underplant your canopy trees with shrubs and then use ground cover on the woodland floor, with climbers brought in to really add extra interest. Top plants to consider include birch trees, hedera, helleborus, honeysuckle and anemones.